Moving On
by Miss Pontmercy
Summary: Complete! Another wishful thinking "Jack Lives" story. When Jack is shoved into the lifeboat after Rose, he is given a second chance at life. Together, they help each other cope with the tragedy. Please review!
1. The Sinking

He didn't know how it happened. One minute, he was desperately begging Rose to get into the lifeboat, and in the next, some desperate soul had ran into him accidentally, throwing him off of the _Titanic._ He had not been able to catch his balance, and he heard Rose cry out and frantically reach out, pulling him onto the lifeboat. They were both sitting next to each other in the jam-packed lifeboat in disbelief, not hearing the angry calls from Cal.

_We're safe, _he thought, and closed his eyes, letting out a huge sigh he seemed to have been holding all day. The lifeboat jerked downward, and Jack put an arm around Rose. He felt her shivering in his arms. They both tried to ignore the angry looks from the women in the lifeboat, until one asked Jack the question that was burning in all their minds.

"How did _you _get on here? You certainly didn't pay them anything. It's women and children only. Who did you shove off to get a space? What makes you more special than our husbands?" Her cold eyes eyed Jack, and gave Rose a reproving look.

"Well, ma'am, I most certainly did not shove anyone off this boat. It would be more accurate to say I was shoved onto it."

"Don't you _dare _insinuate that he did something wrong to be on this boat. This man next to me has a bigger heart than anyone on this boat, I'll bet," Rose interjected.

"Rose…" Jack said softly.

"No! I feel terrible for not speaking up when you were arrested, and it's all anyone seems to think: that you're not as good as other people. Well _it's not true."_

"Thank you," he said softly. They sat in silence watching the glorious boat, the ship of dreams, descend into the depths of the ocean. Small black dots (_people,_ Jack tried not to think) were jumping off the boat, making white splashes at the surface. He couldn't imagine how just three hours ago, he and Rose were in her warm, dry stateroom, and he was drawing her. A smokestack detached, and fell into the water. People were fighting over the last lifeboat. Meanwhile, they were floating steadily away from the ship. But not far enough away to lose sight of what was happening. With a horrible empty feeling that Jack had felt neither before nor after the sinking, he watched as the boat rose into the air, vertical. He held Rose closer. Suddenly he heard a huge crack.

"_Oh!" _Rose cried out. The ship was plummeting downwards. He heard hundreds of people screaming, and Rose hid her face in Jack's chest. The boat smacked down onto the water, crushing the people who had already jumped off.

"We're alright, Rose, we're safe," he muttered, trying to comfort her, but he knew the words weren't working. His eyes widened as huge as coins as he saw the unsinkable ship rise up once again, for the final time. He closed his eyes as tight as they could, trying to shut out the sight, and block out the noise and make it all go away, but it never would.

He just tried to count the positives in this situation. _One: I met Rose. That's the best thing that's ever happened to me._ _Two: she's safe. We're _both _safe. For now._

The screams only intensified the fear he felt. And guilt. Though he should be happy to be here, he knew that every person on this boat was feeling the horrible, hot, all-encompassing guilt for leaving the people they loved aboard. _Fabrizzio, _Jack thought, and tears sprung to his eyes. His very best friend.

Rose was shaking uncontrollably, and Jack closed his eyes once again, resting his head in her hair, not watching as the boat that would change them forever slid into the icy waters.

With an atmosphere so heavy it could be cut with a knife, everyone in the lifeboat sat and waited. Waited for what? They did not know. The screams died away, and then there was silence. The silence was worse than the screaming, Jack realized. He wanted the screaming back. It meant people were alive.

The officer that was in charge of their lifeboat was a good man, Jack could see. _More like a boy, _he thought. _He must be younger than me. _He could see how this sight was killing him. _It's killing us all… He'll go back,_ Jack realized. _He wants to go back and rescue the people. Good. _It only took a moment before they had found another lifeboat to attach with. The people in Jack's lifeboat had to move into the other one, so that the other lifeboat could go back.

"C'mon, Rose," he tried to encourage her. "We've got to get up." She nodded and, clutching him for support, got up onto her shaking legs. They stepped gingerly onto the new boat, and were crushed into a small space in the corner.

Jack watched, once again in silence, as the now empty lifeboat was taken toward the sight of the sinking. _They're too late, _Jack knew. _They should have gone earlier… they're too late._

He couldn't feel anything. But not like those people. Jack was numb from shock; he would feel the pain later. Those people would never feel anything again.


	2. The Carpathia

His eyes opened, and he saw that he was out on open sea. He sat up in confusion, and then the events of the night before came flooding back to him, crushing him, and making him wish he could go back to not remembering. But then he felt Rose stir, her head resting on his lap, and some of the other events from the night before came back. _I suppose good had come out of this after all, _he thought_._ He looked around, and saw that there was a large ship on the horizon. Large, but not as large as the _Titanic. _He squinted and saw the name on the side of the ship: the _Carpathia. _The ship that had come too late.

Rose awoke, and sat up. He watched as her face displayed the same feelings he had just gone through: confusion, shock, pain, and then acceptance. She looked at him, and tears came to her eyes.

"I love you, Jack," she whispered. He felt shock for a moment. He couldn't believe that this wonderful woman just said that to him.

"I love you too, Rose," he answered automatically, but meaning it. He looked at the others in the lifeboat. One woman was praying with her rosary, and tears were streaming down her face. Jack hoped that whoever she was praying for had made it through alright.

The lifeboat made it to the _Carpathia. _As if in a trance, he helped Rose up the ladder, and then followed her up himself. They never let go of each other's hands as they looked for a place to sit. They found a small corner near the end of the deck, and jack found a blanket for them both. They sat huddled like that until some soup was passed out, and they ate it hurriedly. Neither had eaten since early the evening before, and they were both starving. They couldn't speak; words could not do anything to sum up what happened to them. Anything they could have said would only have been empty words.

They watched as women desperately described their husbands and children to the officers who were collecting names. They saw people running up and down the decks looking for anyone they knew, and they saw children playing quietly in the corners, ever so resilient.

After a few hours like this, they heard the clacking sound of expensive shoes on the wooden deck. Jack looked up, and saw the back of Mister Caledon Hockley, and man he wished to never see again in his life.

"Rose…" he whispered, trying to be as quiet as possible. "Hide your hair." He pulled the blanket up over her head, and he himself turned away, looking in the opposite direction. He heard Rose gasp, and he shushed her as best he could.

H e held his breath, hoping that this man would go away. Jack was by no means a coward, but a confrontation over Rose right now was in no ones best interest. Especially since the last time Jack had seen this man, he had been trying to shoot at both him and Rose.

Cal looked around that deck for twenty minutes, the longest twenty minutes of Jack and Rose's lives. Luck had not run out on them, though. He didn't find them. Jack thanked God once again: for Rose, for his life, and for their freedom.

Rose let out a huge sigh of relief when Cal left.

"We're together Jack," she said, as though realizing it for the first time. "And safe. I'm still getting off with you, you know." She smiled coyly.

"Not a problem with me. You know, I think it's a good time to start on those things we promised to do. First I'm gonna teach you how to ride like a man, though."

She smiled and leaned into him.

"Thank you Jack. You saved my life many times yesterday," she said, then laughed. "And once more before that! Maybe you shouldn't ever leave me alone again."

"I'm fine with that," he said.

They sat in silence again, occasionally speaking, until it was dark. Jack tapped Rose on the shoulder upon seeing where they were. They got up from their spots and walked over to the side of the ship to watch the _Carpathia _take them past the Statue of Liberty. They had reached America… just in a different way than they expected. An officer then came up to them both.

"Sir and Miss, names, please…" he gestured to Rose.

"Dawson. Rose Dawson," she said, and then looked at Jack. He smiled, shaking his head slightly.

"How did I get this lucky? The name's Jack Dawson, sir," he said. The man left, and Jack pulled Rose to him, kissing her on the lips.

"Rose Dawson…" he muttered. "Let's make that legal, ok?"

"What?" she asked in disbelief.

"We've already got all these plans… why not settle this first. Will you marry me, Rose?"

She nodded, smiling, and kissed him again. They fell asleep on the deck in each other's arms, warm from the coffee that had been passed out to the passengers.

Rose awoke, feeling something push up against her hip from inside the coat. She reached inside the pocket and found something she thought she would never see again.

"Jack… I have something to show you…!"


	3. New York

"What is it, Rose?" he asked groggily, still lying down.

She wordlessly picked up the heavy blue necklace and dangled it in front of his face. Jack's eyes seemed to bug out of his head for a second, in shock. Rose quickly put the necklace away before anyone else could see.

"It must have been in the pocket when he put the coat on me. Jack, what should we do? That must have been why he was looking for me, not that he actually cared…" she trailed off, thinking deeply.

"Well, if we give it back, we'll have to see him. No matter what, that's a bad idea. And even if we give it to him discreetly, he'll know it's us. He knows you have the diamond. We could sell it?"

"It's a priceless diamond," she began. "We would be rich… we would never have to work again. But I don't want that. I don't want _his _help. Even if he didn't mean to give it to us."

Jack nodded, understanding. Using Cal's money like that would make them no better than he was. Not to mention that, if they sold the diamond, the insurance claim under Cal's name would notify him where they were.

"Maybe we should just… keep it? We'll keep it safe, just in case, but not use it?" he thought that was a good idea.

"Yes. We should do that. But there's also a few thousand dollars in here… in cash." She opened the pocket up and let him see.

"Cash? Well… it's kind of the same thing as selling the diamond... only this is cash. And we're not trying to pawn it off…" he looked at Rose, and she shrugged her shoulders.

"We could use a little to get back on our feet. Just to get to California."

"California?" he asked, confused.

"Yes! To Santa Monica Pier."

"Of course… how could I forget? And remember when you told me that your hands were made to work? We'll have to test that theory."

"Hey! I told you I can work, and I will. You'll see," she said, nudging him. He laughed.

"I don't doubt it. But let not ahead of ourselves here. Now it's time to get off."

She looked up. Indeed, they were finally letting steerage passengers off the ship. They watched as people they had never spoken to, people they knew only by sight, were leaving the ship. Some looked reasonably happy, and some looked wretched, but they all had something similar etched into their faces. Though Jack and Rose could only name a few of them, they all had shared the same common experience. Rose knew that she had the same look etched into her face; a look she got from having watched as people died. Watched as the _Titanic_ sunk into the ocean. Felt the tearing coldness against her skin. But now she was alive, and she had everything she could have hoped to have. She was beyond grateful.

It took a long time, for the process moved slowly, but after a lot of pushing a shoving, they were off the ship and on the streets of New York. Jack breathed in deeply before turning around and looking at everything around him. He let out his customary hoot.

"I'm _home!" _he shouted, and grabbed Rose around the middle, spinning her around. "I'm in America, I'm home!" he laughed and laughed, and through all that had happened, he felt the happiest he'd felt in a long time.

Rose laughed with him, surprised that she felt this good. Despite the _Titanic _sinking, boarding it had been the best thing that ever happened to her. Though the sinking had terrified her, and was an experience that would affect her for her entire life, she realized that it was not the most fear she had ever felt. When she compared the feelings she had felt a few nights ago to how she felt right before she tried to jump off the _Titanic _and kill herself, she realized she would rather live through the sinking again than go back to how she was before she met Jack. Just then He pulled her to him and kissed her. They walked around the streets of New York, and both had a strange feeling as certain familiar places stirred in their memory.

"It feels strange, being back here, and it's the same. But I'm a completely different person now," Rose mused. She looked at the old buildings, and remembered seeing them with her mother and father. Her father who was dead, and her mother, who thought _she _was dead. And here she was, seeing them again with Jack.

They found out that _Titanic _survivors were being put up for free for the next two nights, and they found a hotel to stay at. The couple who owned the hotel offered them a free dinner, and they ate some warm soup and bread. They were both still very hungry, though they had eaten recently. That disaster would take a long time to recuperate from. Rose stated that she would have to only eat warm food from now on.

"Maybe that's why I really want to go to California… I never want to be cold again," she said, shuddering.

Jack nodded, remembered the bone chilling coldness that he felt when he and Rose were running below decks, with the water up to their chins. He couldn't imagine the people who had been in the water until the end. He saw the image of the huge ship sliding slowly into the water, lights flickering, and the small black dots dropping off the edge. He heard the screams again, and felt as though the cold of the air and the water had been moved inside his body. He shivered involuntarily and closed his eyes, trying to chase the thought from his mind. It really would take a long time to recuperate from this. He wondered how long it would take to feel warm again.

Rose seemed to be thinking the same thing. She wrapped her arms around herself and shook her head, deciding to change the subject.

"When we get To California- or maybe before then- we'll have to get you some new drawing materials. I am going to want another drawing," she smiled, remembering how afraid she was.

He smiled back, and once again thanked God for this luck. "I can't wait to get back to drawing... I have some good inspiration."

Rose thought for a moment whether Jack's work would ever be the same after living through this. Would it be dark and morbid? _No,_ she thought. If there was anyone who could bounce back from something like this and recover, it would be Jack. And, of course, an artist's work was always evolving.

They went upstairs to the bedroom they were renting, and from there they didn't let go of each other all night. It seemed that both knew how close they had been to losing their lives and losing each other, and neither wanted to feel that again. In her sleep, Rose dreamed that she was on the _Titanic _again, and she was walking around the deck over and over in circles, completely lost. Everyone around her ignored her, and she grew so desperate that she grabbed a man by the shoulders and turned him around. His face was just a black abyss that sent a rush of freezing air to her, and she woke up. She shivered and snuggled closer to Jack. In the morning she didn't remember her dream at all.


	4. California

**Sorry for such a long time between updates! I feel terrible.. don't forsake my story! :)**

After a long, stressful week, Jack and Rose had arrived in California. They had boarded a train from New York, and had spent two days riding across the country, before changing trains and arriving near Santa Monica. After several small modes of transportation, they finally made it to the other side of the country. They had a peaceful and (thankfully) uneventful train ride, pleasantly looking out at the vast country, or else making fun of some of the stuffier passengers on the train.

"Look at that guy-" Jack had begun, pointing under the table at a man eating his breakfast. The man had a bushy mustache and a beard that covered his whole chin and most of his cheeks. "How does he eat? Wouldn't you get all the food stuck in your beard?"

Jack had been drawing a lot lately, after they had stopped in an art supply store. He would sit staring out of the window, and Rose hardly understood how he could draw anything he saw, because it passed by so quickly. But he would just stare off until suddenly his hand would flash across the page as inspiration struck. She could watch him draw all day, it was so interesting.

"So... we're here," he said. "I still can't believe it."

Rose knew exactly what he meant. Her whole life had been one way, and then it was as though a tornado had struck her, sending her spinning off in all directions, landing here next to Jack. Whatever the reason was, she was not regretting it. Anything was better than what she had been living with before. Having Jack was a blessing. He had saved her in so many ways.

"Maybe we should just find a small apartment first. So we can actually sleep!" They set off, asking around. For the past week, they hadn't been sleeping much. It was hard to sleep on the train because of the noise, and then when they were puttering around begging for rides, they had only made it to small inns late at night. And once she lay down, she had been afraid to shut her eyes, because as soon as she did, a terribly coldness overtook her. Something as simple as turning out the light led her to be plunged back in the icy water, running below decks to find Jack. She could hear the screams of the dying passengers and see the splashes as they jumped to their deaths... Nothing but Jack's arms could make her feel better.

Thinking about this, Rose walked closer to him, kissing the palm of his hand. "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't lived..." she mused for what felt like the thousandth time.

"You would have gone on and made a life for yourself. You would have adjusted. Rose, you were too good to die on that ship, and you are too good to let yourself die because you made it off. You were strong enough to break free from your family, and you're strong enough to make it through now. And besides... we're together."

She leaned her head into his shoulder as the continued walking. She could imagine their life together: her working a small job somewhere, she didn't know. Maybe she'd become an actress like she'd wanted... after all, they _were_ in California. And Jack, coming home every night to eat dinner with her. She could see herself in a plain, functional dress, and then a lively floral one for parties. But nothing special. They would have a small house, and children. She knew that they would have children.

Eventually they found a small apartment that suited them for the time being. Jack was going to go out and look for a job, but they decided to wait until the next day and get settled in. Neither of them had any possesions, but the apartment came pre-furnished and there wasn't much to do.

That night, Jack and Rose made love again. It was the first time since their time on the boat, but it wasn't the same at all. Then, they were rushed and hiding away their love. This time, they could take their time, celebrate the feelings they had for each other, and get to know they other, body _and_ mind. They wore themselves out, neither wanting to sleep.

"Jack..." she whispered his name, brushing his dirty blond hair from his forehead. He was laying against her breast, and she could feel his breath against her skin, warm and alive.

"Rose," he groaned, leaning up, kissing her once, twice, three times, running his hand across her slightly sweaty forehead and kissing his way up her collarbone and neck. She just held him tighter to her.

For hours they lay like this, until they fell asleep, exhausted. That night, they didn't have terrible nightmares, and they didn't wake up fearful and haunted by their memories.

They separated for the first time since the sinking, and were reluctant about it. But Rose was looking for a job, and Jack was too, and the places that took men and the places that took women were different.

"Good bye," she said, a note of fear in her voice. She kissed him once more.

"It'll be alright. I'll see you here at one, ok?" They had agreed to meet back at the apartment.

Rose wandered a bit, wondering where to go. There was a sign in the window of a small shop called Mary's that was asking for help. She pushed the door open, listening to the bell ringing. The shop looked like it sold women's clothing.

"Well, hello there miss. Can I help you?" The employee eyed Rose slowly, and she did not blame her. She had bought a very cheap dress right after the sinking, but hadn't worn anything since. Not really worrying about it, Rose just continued.

"Yes, please. I was wondering if you needed help here? I saw the sign in the window, and I'm in need of a job."

"Oh! Lovely," the woman said, clapping her hands together. She was a short woman with messy brown hair pulled back into a braid. The woman walked behind the desk and pulled up a sheet of paper. "Why don't you fill this out?"

It was a standard sheet of references. Rose blushed, not having worked before, but did the best she could, handing it back to the woman when she was done. "I'm sorry- this will be my first job. A lot's happened recently."

"Well, you're in luck, Rose. No one's come to apply yet, and you're as good as any other! Come back tomorrow, eight o'clock, for work. We pay minimum at first, then increasing a bit if you are a good employee. I'll take you through the steps. My name's Mary Nutton, by the way. Glad to meet you."

"Thank you _so_ much, Ms. Nutton. I'll take anything right now, really. You've helped a lot, you don't even know how much," Rose said honestly. "Just one other question. Can I buy a dress here?"

Mary chuckled. "Of course! That's what we sell here!"

She led Rose through some of the fabrics, and Rose chose a functional navy blue to go with. "I'll buy some else later."

"After you've worked here awhile, you start getting a discount. But not until at least a few months in," she explained.

"I see. That's very nice. I'll go with this," Rose stepped forward and opened her little bag that held some money. She paid for the dress, and left the shop.

She spent a few hours walking about the streets, admiring the warmth and the life that the town had. _I could get used to this,_ she thought. _Well, I'll have to. _

At a few minutes to one, she was waiting outside the apartment for Jack. _I hope he's faired as well as I have. _No matter what happened, she was looking forward to her new life. Working and bringing in money, living with Jack, _getting married..._

Yes, whatever the future held, she was certain she could face it.


	5. Afterward

A few weeks had passed. Mrs. Nutton was a good boss who, after Rose had proved that she worked hard, paid well. She and Jack had both found work, he spending his time doing odd labor jobs for people around the city. Between the two, it wasn't much, but it was enough. And on May 12th, they were finally getting married.

The ceremony was not much. They had made arrangements with the pastor at the local chapel and were headed there at four o'clock that day. Rose was wearing a new dress, but it was as functional as the old one she had bought and she would likely be wearing it again the next day. To others, it would seem nothing special, but to them it was the most important day of their lives.

Rose had realized that she would likely be going through the same vows at about this same time, had she not traveled on the _Titanic. _But the meaning would be different. She would be stuffed into a large frilly dress and surrounded by people who she knew did not really care about her. The talk afterwards would be divided between the men and the women. The men would talk of money and work, and the women would gossip. Even worse, she would spend an awkward and embarrassing wedding night with a man who slightly revolted her. Rose could never stand having Cal's hands on her. But whenever Jack would touch her, she felt heat come up to her cheeks and she wanted him to touch her more. When they would kiss, she felt electricity in her veins and she seemed to come alive. She had no qualms.

They both promised their eternal love to each other, each word ringing true. This was what Rose had been hoping for. This was the person she was supposed to be with. _I'd rather be his whore than your wife,_ she had told Cal on that fateful night. And yet here she was, becoming Jack's wife. She looked at him, smiling kindly at her and looking, as he always did, radiant and loving every breath he took into his lungs, and she knew that he was who she had survived for. When he told her that, had she remained with Cal, she would die inside, Rose had brushed it off. But now she knew. Had she survived on the _Titanic_ and remained with Cal, she would have died more each day.

Jack had given her her life back.

* * *

**Eighty-Four Years Later**

Rose was making a pot in the garden room she now shared with her granddaughter, and the news was playing in the kitchen. She wasn't paying attention, but a few words broke through her thoughts and she looked towards the monitor.

At first she felt her heart stop beating. "Turn that up, dear," she told her granddaughter, who obliged.

Their drawing. Her drawing- or the first one, anyway- was displayed on the screen. "Found at the sight of the sinking..." she heard the bright, blond man with very white teeth speaking, but she couldn't say exactly what he was saying. She felt herself reaching for the phone.

After some negociating, she found herself on the phone with the right man. "Can you tell us who the woman in the picture is, Rose?"

"Oh, yes. The woman in the picture is me."

She was flown out to the sight of the sinking almost immediately and brought to a stateroom. Being returned there felt less painful than she had imagined. She imagined she would feel pulled downwards, toward the bodies of the dead passengers she had shared the most influential days of her life with. Instead she felt as though her memory was sharpened, and she could remember every detail. The smells. The first time she saw Jack. The cold, heavy feeling of the necklace closing around her throat.

Everyone wanted to hear her story, and she told it honestly, from start to finish. She had never had a more attentive audience.

"Jack died fourteen years ago. Old age, I suppose. He was eighty-nine. We had six children together, and now we have seventeen grandchildren. Amazing, isn't it? He came onto the _Titanic _with nothing. I left with just him. And now our family cannot fit into one house, there's too many of us! I thank him each day for saving my life. I've never told anyone exactly what happened. Those days on the _Titanic_ are precious to me; they are the most precious memories I have, and I cannot bear to speak of them every day. My time on the _Titanic_ turned my life around for the better, and since then, I've had the happiest life I can imagine. Funny how something so terrible can give me something so wonderful.."

She felt her breath catch in her throat as she remembered seeing the cold, blue-tinted bodies floating in the water. She could once again her the bone-chilling screams of the people plunging to their deaths, and she shivered. "I think I'll go to bed now," she said.

Excusing herself, she changed back into her nightgown and climbed between the sheets. It had taken some time to get used to sleeping alone again, but she had managed. Now, though, she felt even lonelier than she had right after Jack's death. She could feel the water undulating beneath her feet, pushing the boat up and down, and she knew what she had to do.

Slowly but surely, she made it out of her stateroom and out onto the deck. The chill of the night did not bother her, and the wind swirled her white hair. The weight of the Heart of the Ocean was something solid in her hands, and yet the memories she had recounted hours earlier seemed far more substantial. Making it to the end of the boat, she closed her eyes, remembering that this was the part of the boat where she had first met Jack. "Oh!" she said, and dropped the diamond into the sea, watching it swirl down into water. Dark as ink, the diamond disappeared. She never saw it again.

That night she dreamed of the _Titanic. _It was not the first time, but it was the last. "I've missed you," she said, entering the area where the grand staircase was, and walking into Jack's waiting arms. "But I've had a good life."


End file.
